The Major

The purpose of a major is to provide a coherent program of study in a discipline or area of knowledge. The College offers a number of options designed to meet the needs of students in their selected major programs of study. These options, in addition to Standard Departmental Majors and Program majors, include a Modified Major or a Special Major. A Modified Major usually comprises work in two departments or programs with emphasis in one. The Special Major exists to accommodate students who wish to design special interdisciplinary or interdivisional programs of study. It is also possible for a student to have combinations of majors and minors; however, a student cannot exceed two additional majors or minors beyond the required major (for a total of three).

No more than half of courses required for the major, including prerequisites, may be satisfied by transfer.

In planning a major program of study the student is urged to consider carefully these different options; each is described in detail in the designated section. Consultation with appropriate department or program chairs, advisers, and other faculty members is an important and necessary part of planning a major program. Procedures for students wishing to file more than one major are described in the Working Rules and Regulations Section.

The Committee on Instruction is empowered, for all types of major, to allow individual and general variations from the usual patterns that will assist a given student or improve a major without damaging the basic concept.